The invention generally relates to intra-service number portability (NP) in a wireless network and associated methods for delaying, and potentially avoiding, an inter-service NP query while one or more intra-service queries are performed to return routing and location information for a mobile called party in response to a telephone call and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention is also amenable to other applications.
As referred to herein, intra-service or intra-network NP refers to certain NP features provided within a wireless network infrastructure serviced by a single wireless service provider. In contrast, inter-service or inter-network NP refers to certain NP features provided across multiple wireless network infrastructures, where each wireless network infrastructure may be serviced by different wireless service providers.
As is commonly known, NP exists in landline telephone networks. Separately, home location register (HLR) query support exists in wireless networks. Currently, in one standard implementation of wireless NP, when a network home location register (HLR) is queried and returns an error in the query response, NP logic will proceed to launch an inter-service NP query to locate the subscriber for routing information identifying a ported MSC. Then, the ported MSC must perform an HLR query to determine location information associated with the subscriber's mobile station (MS). In another standard implementation, the home HLR query is bypassed and the NP query is launched directly.
In today's environment, wireless service providers may incorporate 2G (e.g., time division multiple access (TDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA)) and 3G (e.g., global system for mobile communications (GSM), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS)) subscribers and corresponding infrastructure (e.g., 2G and 3G MSCs, 2G and 3G HLRs, etc.) in the same wireless network as they migrate from 2G to 3G wireless communication architecture. However, when a subscriber upgrades from 2G to 3G, a new 3G MS is typically required and the new 3G MS typically requires wireless service through 3G MSCs and HLRs. In November 2003, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandated that all wireless carriers support wireless NP. This opened the door for many 2G subscribers to reap the benefits of new and advanced 3G MSs, while keeping their same directory number (DN) by activating the NP feature associated with their wireless service. The problem is that if intra-network or intra-service porting has occurred, the service provider may have to query an NP database for routing information only to find out that the subscriber, while not recognized by the 2G HLR, is still in their network or service, but on a different (i.e., 3G) HLR. Currently, if the 2G HLR query fails, NP logic will launch a query to the NP database, usually costing the wireless service provider additional money for processing the call.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, NP capabilities in wireless networks require repetitive NP queries for incoming calls to a ported subscriber. These repeated NP queries create an undesirable cost burden on wireless service providers associated with a ported subscriber's original DN. Thus, there is motivation for mechanisms addressing the above-referenced problems and others.